Enter the Leaf Village

A young girl yawned, the sound accompanying her soft footsteps as she walked along the otherwise deserted path in Konoha. It was night, the moon high, and the village was asleep, other than the occasional patrols that could be heard rarely jumping from roof to roof.

Her destination was simple. Just a hotel to spend the rest of the night, after her long trip. And after a while, she found such a place, manned by an individual with dark circles framing his half-lidded eyes. A short greeting was met with confusion, as he was roused from his dozing.

"Could I use a room for a night?" She asked, examining the small entrance way. This hotel obviously wasn't for those that wanted luxury, as evidenced by the tattered seats and grimy walls. That didn't matter to her though, as long as they had beds. "Kaida. I've got the money."

He was obviously a man of few words regardless of his state of wakefulness, as he grunted in reply before grabbing a key from under the desk as she placed the exact change down before she took it, leaving to go find the room carved crudely into the metal.

Up a narrow staircase, and through a door that probably wouldn't tolerate a particularly vigorous knock, and she was in a cosy room, decorated with the bare necessities. A bed, a small table with drawers with a lamp on, and a door that obviously led to the bathroom. A flick of the light switch proved it broken, though the moonlight coming through the bent blinds was enough for her to change into some comfortable clothes and untie her hair, letting the knotted charcoal strands fall to reach her waist. Brushing that was a task for the morning.

With that, the allure of the bed finally overcame her, tired eyes closing as she gave herself up to her dreams.

"Hey, come on, you don't need to cry! You can come visit any time, it's only the Sand Village! Okay?" You reach forward to clasp your fingers around the boy's face. "It's going to be fun! Mum says I'm going to learn a lot more there that I can't here." Despite your cheery demeanour, it doesn't seem to even interrupt his sobbing. "I'll come back one day, I promise!"

Kaida woke up with a start as someone in the room next to her evidentially struck the wall with something fragile, the sound of shattering working as an unconventional alarm clock to say the least. A murmur of annoyance and she sat up, her back creaking in protest. The bed which had seemed like the resting place of angels while she was plagued with exhaustion now felt more like someone had filled a plastic bag with rocks, and her body was not thanking her for it.

A painful stretch full of bones clicking accompanied by various levels of pain later, and she was able to get dressed into her simple gear, navy blue and dark grey, nothing to stand out, finally running a brush through the lump that her hair had become, and equipping herself, shuriken and kunai hidden anywhere they'd fit.

Staring into the toothpaste splattered mirror with onyx eyes, she went through her plan for today, humming as she tied her hair up and fixed her headband around her neck loosely, the sand symbol glinting in the flickering bathroom light. Time face the music.

After returning the key, she made her way into the village, out of the lonely backstreets and into the bustling centre, grinning. The atmosphere was lively and joyous, just as she remembered it. Adults standing at market stalls, selling everything imaginable, to other children, dashing through the crowd and weaving around anyone in their way. Despite the sand headband around her neck, no one paid it any mind, greeting her as she walked by as they would anyone else. The Chuunin exams were coming up, after all, she wasn't the only one here from her village.

After a while of just enjoying wandering, her stomach growled, a not-so-subtle reminder that she hadn't eaten for a while. Her hand trailed to her bag, before pausing as she sniffed the air. Some real food would be nice. Just as she was looking around however for something to have as a substantial meal, she turned a little bit too quickly, colliding with a moving shape which sent you sprawling backwards with a yelp, which also fell backwards in a much less dignified manner.

"Oh, oh god I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going!" She started to apologize, getting to her feet and starting to hold out her hand, though before she could fully extend it, the other leapt up, nearly greeting Kaida with a second impact in the form of his forehead hitting hers, stopping literally millimetres from disaster.

"It's okay! I was rushing anyway, arghhh I'm meant to be going on a mission today and my alarm didn't go off! They've probably left without me!" The boy complained, somehow thinking that the dark haired girl was the appropriate person to start ranting to, as she just stared in mute horror at the orange and blue jumpsuit he was wearing, trying to keep up with what he was saying.

"I'm… very sorry to hear that?" Her tone was dripping with bewilderment, and, eager to change the subject, and move on to find some food, she crossed her arms behind her back. "I'm sorry for holding you up then, uh…"

"Naruto Uzumaki! Remember the name, because I'm going to be the next Hokage!" He finished for her, leaping enthusiastically.

"Kaida. I'm sure I'll see you around." She decided to avoid addressing his bold claim, waving for a moment, which seemed to prompt him to remember what he was doing and continue running to… where he hoped his team was, she supposed. Well, that was. Definitely a loud person, and that wasn't just referring to the volume of his voice. "Time to get some food… Argh…"


What's this, an inactive account writing a fanfiction?

Of sorts. I'm incredibly bored, and since it has been approximately six years since I wrote the original fanfiction, which you can still read, embarrassing Author's notes and all. I am rewriting it just because I want to see whether my writing has improved, and to see if I can salvage any part of the terrible, terrible plotline.

s/5693006/1/Changing-Fate

I should put a disclaimer here.

I don't know how much this story will deviate from the original. I don't know whether I'm going to actually write another chapter or whether my creativity ends here. I haven't read or watched Naruto since I was 15, and therefore facts may be wrong, and characterization will be terrible. Kaida is a Mary-Sue. I will try and tone it down from what a mess she was in the original, but I think it's safe to say that there is not one plausible reason why she should actually exist.

Sue me.

Or don't, I don't really have enough money to be sued.

Alita, out. x